Infrared skin damage thresholds from 1940-nm continuous-wave laser exposures

Jeffrey W. Oliver; Semih S. Kumru; Robert J. Thomas; David J. Stolarski; Gary D. Noojin; Harvey M. Hodnett; Corey A. Harbert; Kurt J. Schuster; Michael F. Foltz; Clarence P. Cain; Isaac Noojin; C. J. Finkeldei; Gavin D. Buffington

doi:10.1117/1.3523622

1 November 2010 Infrared skin damage thresholds from 1940-nm continuous-wave laser exposures

Jeffrey W. Oliver, Semih S. Kumru, Robert J. Thomas, David J. Stolarski, Gary D. Noojin, Harvey M. Hodnett, Corey A. Harbert, Kurt J. Schuster, Michael F. Foltz, Clarence P. Cain, Isaac Noojin, C. J. Finkeldei, Gavin D. Buffington

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Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 15, Issue 6, 065008 (November 2010). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3523622

Abstract

A series of experiments are conducted in vivo using Yucatan mini-pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) to determine thermal damage thresholds to the skin from 1940-nm continuous-wave thulium fiber laser irradiation. Experiments employ exposure durations from 10 ms to 10 s and beam diameters of approximately 4.8 to 18 mm. Thermal imagery data provide a time-dependent surface temperature response from the laser. A damage endpoint of minimally visible effect is employed to determine threshold for damage at 1 and 24 h postexposure. Predicted thermal response and damage thresholds are compared with a numerical model of optical-thermal interaction. Results are compared with current exposure limits for laser safety. It is concluded that exposure limits should be based on data representative of large-beam exposures, where effects of radial diffusion are minimized for longer-duration damage thresholds.

©(2010) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

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Jeffrey W. Oliver, Semih S. Kumru, Robert J. Thomas, David J. Stolarski, Gary D. Noojin, Harvey M. Hodnett, Corey A. Harbert, Kurt J. Schuster, Michael F. Foltz, Clarence P. Cain, Isaac Noojin, C. J. Finkeldei, and Gavin D. Buffington "Infrared skin damage thresholds from 1940-nm continuous-wave laser exposures," Journal of Biomedical Optics 15(6), 065008 (1 November 2010). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3523622

Published: 1 November 2010

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